Integrated climate action concept
Integrated climate action concept
Climate protection concept published
University of Oldenburg on its way toward climate neutrality
Following the Senate's referral on 09 November, the University of Oldenburg's integrated climate protection concept was approved and adopted by the Presidential Board on 19 November 2022. With this, the University aims to achieve climate neutrality in 2030.
The concept development was accompanied by the Climate Neutral University working group. University members were invited to participate in the design of the concept through various participation formats. The concept is available in both a detailed version and an abridged version.
Background and development process
In spring 2020, following an initiative by the student representation in the senate, the decision was made to set up a Working Group Climate Neutral University which is to initiate and accompany the university's process towards climate neutrality. This initiative was accompanied by numerous activities in the area of climate protection, which were initiated and implemented from various areas of the university.
The working group then initiated a project within the framework of the Municipal Guideline of the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) for the creation of a climate action concept. This concept should result in concrete and realistic, but ambitious goals and measures that will put the university on the path to climate neutrality. The project was approved for 01 June 2021.
Fields of action
Within the framework of the project, 6 different fields of action were considered and included in the greenhouse gas balancing and the development of measures:
- Energy & Construction
- Ecology of the campus
- Everyday mobility
- International mobility
- Resources (procurement & disposal)
- Research, study & teaching
The area of university catering was initially still taken into account in the preparation of the greenhouse gas balance and the implementation of the measure workshops. For the development of the catalogue of measures and the final concept, this area was left out at the request of the Studentenwerk Oldenburg (SWO).
Participation process
During the development of the concept, there were regular opportunities for all university members to participate in the design. The breadth of participation is an essential element for the development and implementation of the concept and the offers were very well received. The long version of the concept lists in the appendix all the suggestions that were collected in the course of the participation process.
Action workshops
Working Group "Climate Neutral University
The Climate Neutral University working group was founded in the spring of 2020 to work out how the university can move towards climate neutrality. The working group initiated the application for the Integrated Climate Protection Concept project and closely accompanied the concept development process as a steering group. The working group was an important sounding board for the work of the climate protection manager in order to discuss the procedure and the progress of the project with the members of the various status groups. In addition to the Executive Committee, all status groups are represented in the working group, which usually meets once a month.
The Senate has also commissioned the working group to continue to act as a steering group for the follow-up project and the implementation of the measures from the climate protection project.